October, 2014 - Richard A. Rula School of Civil & Environmental Engineering - Bagley College of Engineering
As Infrastructure Crumbles, Trillions of Gallons of Water Lost
Imagine Manhattan under almost 300 feet of water. Not water from a hurricane or a tsunami, but purified drinking water — 2.1 trillion gallons of it. That’s the amount of water that researchers estimate is lost each year in this country because of aging and leaky pipes, broken water mains and faulty meters. Fixing that…
Will water woes leave Americans thirsty?
On August 2, 2014, residents of Toledo, Ohio, woke up to a startling warning from the city: “DO NOT DRINK THE WATER.” A few samples from the city’s water-treatment plant contained worrisome levels of a toxic chemical. Algae in Lake Erie, where Toledo gets its water, made this toxin. Drinking water with this chemical —…
Senate Hopefuls Answer 9 Questions
The Associated Press invited Sen. Al Franken and his GOP challenger, Mike McFadden, to respond to several questions ahead of the Nov. 4 election. Here are their verbatim answers. What’s the best way to shore up the federal highway trust fund for infrastructure repairs?
New Informational Tool Updates Transportation Revenue Options
While public officials continue to discuss ways to fund a new surface transportation authorization, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has updated its popular matrix of revenue generating options with new easy-to-understand graphics. The revenue matrix produced prior to MAP-21 enactment in 2012 was incorporated into AASHTO’s reauthorization policy resolutions and…
Lack of Federal Money for TDOT means Congested Roads
Drivers across Tennessee are going to have to endure congested roads longer than expected because of a lack of promised federal money. TDOT’s commissioner sent a letter to members of the Tennessee general assembly telling them 12 projects ready for construction and 21 ready for right of way acquisition will be delayed. Bridge repairs and…
MSU Teams Receive EPA P3 Grants
Two teams from Mississippi State are among 43 to receive grants to help attain a sustainable future. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded grants of up to $15,000 each for the research and development of new technologies. The People, Prosperity and Planet (P3) program involves a wide range of categories including water, energy, agriculture, built environment,…